Kendra Scott Design has appointed Chris Blakeslee as CEO, effective January 12. 

The appointment supports the company’s strategy to continue building Kendra Scott as a contemporary, multi-generational lifestyle brand, the company said.

Founder Kendra Scott will continue in her roles as chief visionary officer, executive chair and majority shareholder.

“Chris understands our customer-first mission,” said Scott. “I’m excited to see him lead with purpose-driving strategic growth and deepening brand affinity.”

Scott said Blakeslee’s approach aligns with the brand’s operating model, which links product, environments, community and culture. “Chris honors my vision while adding a dynamic perspective, making him the ideal steward for our next phase of growth,” she said.

“Kendra has built an extraordinary brand grounded in a deeply customer-first, experience-driven approach,” said Blakeslee. 

“I’m energized by the opportunity to bring the world of Kendra Scott to life in richer, more immersive ways across product, environment, community, and culture,” he added. 

After 23 years of serving a multi-generational customer base, Kendra Scott has expanded across multiple product categories and retail formats. Under Blakeslee’s leadership, the company will continue to pursue retail expansion and category development.

Before joining Kendra Scott, Blakeslee held senior leadership roles at Athleta, part of Gap Inc, and Alo Yoga. At Alo Yoga, he collaborated with the founding team to scale the business from under $50 million to over $1 billion in direct-to-consumer revenue within five years.

Kendra Scott has also seen private equity investment in recent years.